Optical instrument and method for measuring displacement of scale

Abstract: In an instrument and method for optically measuring a displacement of a scale which can achieve the noise elimination of returning light to a coherent light source, the scale and optical system are so constructed that an intersecting point of light fluxes radiated from the coherent light source and split into those fluxes by means of a first beam splitter is not present on a transmitting type diffraction grating and the incident lights (d, e) on a reflecting plate and the reflected lights (f, g) from the reflecting plate have no common pass the same light paths.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of The Invention The present invention relates to an optical instrument and optical method for measuring displacement of a scale. The present invention particularly relates to the optical instrument and method for measuring a position and/or velocity of a mobile body. Description of Background Art Japanese Patent Application First Publications No. Showa 47-10034 (United States Patent Application Serial No. 73, 791 filed on September 21, 1970) published on May 22, 1972, No. Showa 63-75518 published on April 5, 1988, and No. Heisei 2-85715 published on March 27, 1990 exemplify previously proposed optical displacement measuring apparatuses which detect positional changes of moving diffraction gratings utilizing interferences in light. In each of the previously proposed optical displacement measuring apparatuses, a light flux (beams) radiated from a coherent light source is split into two light fluxes by means of a beam splitter, the two light fluxes are advanced through respectively separate light paths and incident on a diffraction grating constituting a scale, and generated diffraction lights thereon in an m order (m denotes 1 or larger integer) are obtained, and these two m-order diffracted light is recombined and a diffraction fringe of the recombined light flux is detected. A light source and optical detector are of transmission types in which they are opposed with the scale sandwiched and of reflection types in which they are in the same positions with respect to the scale. In general, a volume type hologram is used as the diffraction grating for the transmitting type application. Especially, if the optical parts are arranged such as to satisfy a Bragg condition, a signal having a high output and high resolution can be derived. However, since the transmitting type requires the arrangements of the light source and detector such that they are disposed in mutually opposite positions to the scale, the compact of the optical displacement apparatus cannot be achieved. On the contrary, since the reflecting type requires the arrangements of light source and detector on the same positions to the scale, it is suitable for compacting the optical displacement instrument but it is difficult to achieve the high resolution instrument. With such a tradeoff as described above in mind, such a new optical displacement measuring instrument as having the advantages of the transmitting type with those of the reflecting type may be considered. However, a new problem would occur such that the adjustments of positions of the optical parts become difficult. Fig. 1 shows another previously proposed optical displacement instrument (encoder) disclosed in a Japanese Patent Application First Publication No. Heisei 4-130220 published on May 1, 1992. In Fig. 1, the light beam (light flux) radiated from the light source 901 ise incident on a first diffraction grating 902 passing through a collimator lens 911, a beam splitter 903, and λ/4 plate 912. At this first diffraction grating, the light beam is split into the two beams, receiving the diffraction at a second diffraction grating forming the scale surface. The diffracted lights are incident vertically on a reflected plane 907. The reflected lights therefrom return to the original light path and again incident on the second diffraction grating 906. The diffracted light diffracted by the second diffraction grating 906 is further returned to the original light path and again incident in the first diffraction grating. The combined light flux is returned to the beam splitter 903 and deflected toward an photo detector 904. As described above with reference to Fig. 1, the light fluxes present between the diffraction grating 906 and reflecting plane 907 are vertical on the reflecting plane 907, i.e., the light fluxes are reciprocated in the vertical direction as viewed from Fig. 1. Thus, the alignment adjustment between a reading optical system first diffraction grating 902 and the scale side second diffraction grating 906 is easy. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical displacement measuring instrument and method in which a problem of noise which has been caused by returning light fluxes toward a coherent light source is eliminated and which can achieve a more compact construction of the optical displacement measuring instrument. This object is achieved with an instrument of optically measuring a displacement of a scale having the features of the characterizing portion of claim 1 and a method for optically measuring a displacement of a scale having the features of the characterizing portion of claim 10. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: Fig 1 is an explanatory view of an optical displacement measuring instrument disclosed in a Japanese Patent Application First Publication No. Heisei 4-130220 published on May 1, 1992. Fig. 2 is an explanatory view of an optical displacement measuring instrument in a first preferred embodiment for explaining a light path setting condition. Fig. 3 is a schematic configuration view of the first preferred embodiment of the optical displacement measuring apparatus according to the present invention. Fig. 4 is a schematic configuration view of an optical displacement measuring instrument in the first preferred embodiment of the optical displacement measuring instrument. Fig. 5 is an explanatory view how to prepare a hologram. Fig. 6 is an explanatory view of the optical displacement measuring apparatus in a second preferred embodiment according to the present invention. Fig. 7 is an explanatory view of the optical displacement measuring apparatus in a third preferred embodiment according to the present invention. Fig. 8 is an explanatory view of the optical displacement measuring apparatus in a fourth preferred embodiment according to the present invention. Fig. 9 is a schematic configuration view of the optical displacement measuring apparatus in a fifth preferred embodiment according to the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Before explaining preferred embodiments of the optical displacement measuring instrument and method, disadvantages of the encoder shown in Fig. 1 and disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application First Publication No. Heisei 4-130220 published on May 1, 1992 will be explained below. The optical displacement measuring apparatus shown in Fig. 1 cannot inherently adopt a volume type hologram to carry out a Bragg diffraction and the light fluxes pass the diffraction grating surfaces 902, 906 as a total of four times so that a high output signal cannot be achieved. In addition, when, as shown in Fig. 1, the light fluxes f and g are returned to the original paths being reflected by means of the reflected film 907 and become again incident on the first diffraction grating 902, a part of the light fluxes transmits through the first diffraction grating 902 toward the beam splitter 903 and the other part of the light fluxes is reflected on the plane of the first diffraction grating 902. The light beam g in Fig. 1 is inserted and mixed toward the side f and the other light beam is inserted and mixed toward the side g, respectively. Thus, a good quality signal cannot easily be obtained. Since the incident light flux and reflected light flux with respect to the reflecting film 907 use commonly the same light path, a returning light to the coherent light source becomes easy to be generated. It is noted although the returning light can be prevented from entering the coherent light source using a polarizer so as to reduce the effect of the returning light on the coherent light source, the complete elimination of the returning light is difficult. When the detection signal has been resolved electrically with a higher resolution in the future of a super precision measurement field, such a slight effect of the returning light on the coherent light source may become a major problem. Figs. 2 through 9 show preferred embodiments of an optical displacement measuring apparatus according to the present invention. Fig. 2 shows a first preferred embodiment of the optical displacement measuring apparatus according to the present invention. A light flux a radiated from a coherent light source 101 is split into two light fluxes b, c by means of the beam splitter 102. The two light fluxes b, c are incident on a grating surface 106 through mutually same angles  1 . The one light flux b becomes the diffracted light d in the m order (m denotes 1 or larger integer) and the other light flux c becomes a transmitted light (0 order light) e. It is noted that, at this time, a relationship between a grating pitch p, a wavelength λ of the coherent light, and an incident angle  1 on the grating surface is fulfilled with a Bragg condition, i.e., 2psin  1 = mλ (m denotes an integer). When such a diffraction as described above fulfills this condition, the relationship between the incident angle  1 of the light flux onto the grating surface 106 and the radiated angle  2 of the light flux passed through the grating surface is expressed as :  1 =  2 . The respective light fluxes passed through the diffraction grating 106 are reflected on a reflecting plate 107 and again are incident on the diffraction grating 106. At this time, the diffracted light d is not diffracted on the incident of the diffraction grating at the second time and serves as the diffraction transmittal light f. On the other hand, the transmitted light e is diffracted when becoming incident on the diffraction grating 106 at the second time and becomes transmitted. diffracted light g. These two light fluxes f and g are incident on the same point on the beam splitter 103 and are combined together. A part of the combined light flux is directed toward the detector 104 and the other part thereof is directed toward the detector 105 with the phase difference of 90°. According to the optical displacement measuring instrument in the first embodiment, the two light path lengths from a time when the two light fluxes b and c are split by means of the beam splitter 102 to a time when the light fluxes b and c are recombined by means of the beam splitter 103 are approximately equal. Therefore, the coherent light source such as a semiconductor laser can be used. In addition, since the incident light fluxes and reflected light fluxes with respect to the reflecting plate 107 make no common use of the same light path and the intersecting point between the respective light fluxes is not present on an interface between the diffraction grating 106 and/or an interface of an index of refraction of the scale, a possibility of generating the returning light onto the coherent light source 101 is very small. Hence, a detection signal having a good quality and having almost no noise present due to the returning light can be derived. If a volume type hologram as will be described later is used for the diffraction grating 106, a diffraction grating efficiency can be enhanced since the bragg condition is fulfilled. In the first embodiment, it is preferable to have the diffraction grating efficiency of 50% and it is easy to fabricate such a hologram having the diffraction efficiency. Dimensions of the scale and detection optical system are selected as appreciated from Fig. 3. Suppose that a spatial distance from the diffraction grating 206 to the reflecting film 207 is D, the index of the refraction therebetween is n 1 , an index of the refraction of air is n 0 , and incident angle of the coherent light is , a relationship of a spatial distance between these values and beam splitters 202, 203 is selected as: L = 2 D tan(sin -1 (n 0 sin/n 1 )). Next, a specific construction of the first preferred embodiment of the optical displacement instrument according to the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 4. In Fig. 4, the coherent light source shown in Fig. 2 is constituted by the semiconductor laser light source 301. In addition, convexity lenses 312, 313, and 314 are installed in the vicinities of the semiconductor laser light source 301 and of detectors 304 and 305, respectively. 315 and 316 denote λ/4 plates (λ denotes a wavelength). In Fig. 4, numerals 317 and 318 denote polarization plates, numeral 304 denotes a sinusoidal wave photo detector, and numeral 305 denotes a cosin wave photo detector. In addition, in Fig. 4, numeral 308 denotes a hologram glass substrate, numeral 306 denotes the volume type hologram, numeral 309 denotes an adhesive layer, numeral 310 denotes a sealing glass substrate, and numeral 307 denotes a reflecting film. It is noted that each of the glass substrate 308, the hologram 306, the adhesive layer 309, the sealing glass substrate 310, and reflecting film 307 is provided with an index mark so as to align each component of the scale by means of an index matching. In Fig. 4, the laser beam (laser light) radiated from the semiconductor laser light source 301 is collected by means of the convexity lens 312 and is split into the two light beams by means of the first beam splitter 302. The beams split thereby are respectively radiated into a plane of the hologram 306 as beam spots. The beams passed through the plane of the hologram 306 are focused on the reflecting film 307. The reflected beams form divergence light beams and pass again through the plane 306 of the hologram 306. The one beam passes λ/4 plate 315 and the other beam passes λ/4 plate 316 to become incident on the second beam splitter 303. The two polarizers 318 and 317 extract 0° directional component (cosin wave) and 90° directional component (sine wave) from the light beam combined at the second beam splitter 303. The convexity lenses 304 and 305 collect the cosin and sine components of light beam on the photo detectors 304 and 305, respectively. Fig. 5 shows a part of a volume type hologram (volume type holographic grating) used in the embodiment shown in Fig. 4. To fabricate the holographic grating, as shown in Fig. 5, coherent plane waves 401 and 402 are incident on a recording material 406 through angels , respectively, so that an interference fringe of both plane waves is formed and recorded on the recording material 406. The thus fabricated holographic grating 406 has a grating plane vertically positioned to the surface of the hologram. Therefore, since the change in the grating pitch is minor which is caused by the change in the material during the process of fabricating the hologram, the fabrication of the scale becomes easier. In addition, since the selection of the photosensitive material permits the fabrication of the hologram scale with a high diffraction efficiency, the hologram scale having approximately 50% of the diffraction efficiency used according to the present invention can easily be achieved. Next, Fig. 6 shows a second preferred embodiment of the optical displacement measuring instrument according to the present invention. A detailed explanation of the detection optical system is omitted here since it is the same as that shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Although the optical system in the second embodiment is principally the same as that explained in the first embodiment, an integrated type of beam splitters is used in the second embodiment. As shown in Fig. 6, two planes (outer surfaces) 502 and 503 of a prism 508 constitute the two beam splitters 502 and 503. An adjustment of a distance L between the two beam splitters, as shown in Fig. 3, is not necessary in the second embodiment and the number of parts becomes accordingly reduced. Fig. 7 shows a third preferred embodiment of the optical displacement measuring apparatus. The scale in the third embodiment is constituted by a hologram glass substrate 608, the volume type hologram 606, the adhesive layer 609, the sealing glass substrate 610, and the reflecting film 607. The detection optical system is the same as that in the first embodiment and, therefore, the detailed description thereon will be omitted herein. In the scale of the third embodiment, the sealing glass substrate 610 of the hologram serves as a light reflecting plate. Therefore, since the spatial distance between the volume type hologram 606 and reflecting film 607 is maintained constant, a stable detection signal can be achieved even if the spatial distance between the detection optical system and scale is varied. Fig. 8 shows a fourth preferred embodiment of the optical displacement measuring apparatus according to the present invention. In the fourth embodiment, for the scale, such a scale that the grating glass substrate 708 becomes thick and a reflecting film 707 is formed on a rear surface of the grating glass substrate 708 is used. Hence, the thickness of the whole scale becomes thinner that that shown in Fig. 7 and the instrument can be compacted. The distance between the grating 706 and the reflecting film 707 is determined according to a thickness of the glass substrate 708 so that the scale becomes uniform and accuracy of the scale can be improved. Although, in the first, second, third, and fourth embodiments, the detection ·optical system is described with one of the diffracted light beams generated on the diffraction grating plane taken into consideration, the diffracted light is actually provided in the ± m order so that the detection·optical system is constructed with - m order diffracted light taken into consideration. A fifth embodiment of the optical displacement instrument according to the present invention shown in Fig. 9 indicates the -m order diffracted light. As shown in Fig. 9, the light flux radiated from the light source is split into two light fluxes by means of the beams splitter 802 and the split light fluxes are incident on the diffraction grating 806, respectively. From among the diffracted lights generated on the diffraction grating 806, the diffracted lights d and e which are directed toward the leftward direction as viewed from Fig. 9 are detected by means of the photo detectors 804 and 805 via the same light paths as those shown in Fig. 2. It is noted that since the other light fluxes than those d and e are directed toward the rightward direction as viewed from Fig. 9 are present in the diffraction grating 806, those other light fluxes are detected by means of the photo detectors 809 and 810. Since the light receiving sections have two number of photo detectors in the fifth embodiment, the output of the detected signal becomes twice. In addition, although faults are found on the reflecting film, the decrease in an amplitude of the output detection signal can be halved. As described hereinabove, in the optical displacement measuring instrument and method, the output detection signal can provide a high amplitude, a high resolution, a large S/N (signal to noise) ratio. Various effects can be achieved by the present invention and modifications and changes in the preferred embodiments can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is defined by the appended claims.

Claims: An instrument for optically measuring a displacement of a scale (106,107) comprising: a coherent light source (101); a transmission type diffraction grating (106) satisfying a Bragg diffraction condition; first beam splitting means (102) for receiving a light flux (a) radiated from said light source (101), said first beam splitting means (102) being arranged such that the split light fluxes (b,c) are incident on said diffraction grating (106) through approximately equal angles ( 1 ) in their absolute values; light reflecting means (107) arranged such that both light fluxes (d,e) transmitted through said diffraction grating (106) are again incident on the same diffraction grating (106) and are transmitted through said diffraction grating (106) a second time, said light reflecting means (107) and said diffraction grating (106) constituting said scale; second beam splitting means (103) arranged in a vicinity of a point at which both light fluxes (f,g) after their second transmission through said diffraction grating (106) are intersected; photo-electric transducing means (104,105) for detecting an interference state of both light fluxes combined by means of said second beam splitting means (103) and outputting a signal indicative of the interference state; whereby the lengths of both light paths through which both light fluxes have passed are approximately equal; characterized by said first beam splitting means (102) transmitting a part of said light flux (a) radiated from said light source (101) and reflecting the remaining part of said light flux (a) radiated from said light source (101), said first beam splitting means (102) being arranged such that the split light fluxes (b,c) pass through said diffraction grating twice, one of the light fluxes (b,c) being incident and transmitted through the diffraction grating (106) at the first time and being incident and diffracted at the second time in an m-th (m denotes one or larger integer) and the other light flux being incident and diffracted in the m-th order through said diffraction grating (106) at the first time and being incident and transmitted through the diffraction grating at the second time; said second beam splitting means (103) being disposed at a location different from said first beam splitting means (102) and different from said diffraction grating (106); and said light flux (d,e) being incident on said light reflecting means (107) and the light flux reflected by said light reflecting means (107) not using the same light path. An instrument for optically measuring a displacement of a scale as claimed in claim 1, wherein said coherent light source (101) comprises a semiconductor laser. An instrument for optically measuring a displacement of a scale as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said first and second beam splitting means (102,103) comprise beam splitters. An instrument for optically measuring a displacement of a scale as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, wherein said diffraction grating (106) comprises a volume type hologram (406). An instrument for optically measuring a displacement of a scale as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, wherein said light reflecting means (107) comprises a reflecting plate approximately juxtaposed in parallel to an axial direction of said diffraction grating (106) and located below the diffraction grating with respect to the coherent light source (101). An instrument for optically measuring a displacement of a scale as claimed in claim 5, wherein said scale comprises a glass substrate (208) which is disposed approximately parallel to a grating surface of the diffraction grating (106,206) and adhered to said diffraction grating, a rear surface thereof being treated with a reflection film serving as the reflecting plate. An instrument for optically measuring a displacement of a scale as claimed in claim 5, wherein said reflecting plate (207) is a reflecting film formed on a rear surface of a substrate (208) of the diffraction grating (206). An instrument for optically measuring a displacement of a scale as claimed in anyone of the claims 4 to 7, wherein said first beam splitter (502) and second beam splitter (503) are integrally constituted by a prism (508). An instrument for optically measuring a displacement of a scale as claimed in claim 4, wherein the grating vector direction of said volume type hologram is approximately coincident with a measurement direction of the scale. A method for optically measuring a displacement of a scale, comprising the steps of: a) radiating a coherent light; b) providing a transmitting type diffraction grating (106) and light reflecting means (107) constituting the scale; and c) detecting an interference state of light fluxes passed through the diffraction grating at their intersecting point, wherein the light flux (a) of the coherent light is split into two light fluxes, both light fluxes pass through said diffraction grating twice, one of the light fluxes being incident and transmitted through the diffraction grating (106) at the first time and being incident and diffracted at the second time in an m-th order (m denotes 1 or larger integer) and the other light flux being incident and diffracted in the m-th order through said diffraction grating (106) at the first time and being incident and transmitted through the diffraction grating at the second time, these light fluxes having mutually the same light path lengths, wherein, further, the intersecting point of both light fluxes is not present on the diffraction grating (106), and the light flux (d,e) incident on said light reflecting means (107) and the light flux reflected by said light reflecting means (107) do not use the same light path.

Inventors: TAMIYA HIDEAKI, TAMIYA, HIDEAKI
Applicants: SONY PRECISION TECHNOLOGY INC, SONY PRECISION TECHNOLOGY INC.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: G01D5
IPC codes: G01B11, G01D5